5 hotels that combine chic and ecology

Lydia Bacrie | 9/7/24

Perfect for guilt-free travel, these five refuges combine contemporary elegance with respect for all eco-responsible standards. From Brittany to Corsica, from Belle Ile to the Loire Valley, five warm, luxurious addresses committed to a truly ecological approach.

Much more than a trend, it's a groundswell. We are increasingly aware of the ecological commitment of the hotels and guesthouses where we decide to stay, making this approach one of the major criteria in our choices. To combine ethics and travel pleasure, here is our selection of refuges that are pioneers in this respect for the planet, without ever forgetting comfort and refinement.

In Brittany, La Grée des Landes

On the heights of the village of Glacilly, this eco-hotel with the look of a tall ship belongs to the Yves Rocher cosmetics house, which has designed it entirely in an ecological manner. Green roofs, photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting, filtering gardens... La Grée des Landes has earned every label (green globe, for example).La Grée des Landes has earned every label (green globe, European ecolabel...) and offers guests the rare privilege of perfect harmony with nature.As soon as you arrive, the tone is set with the discovery of 28 ecological rooms, vegetal suites and a cabin, all fitted out with organic bedding.all fitted out with 100% organic bedding and raw materials, and extended by private terraces from which you can see century-old trees inhabited by over 50 varieties of birds. An ideal place to recharge your batteries, savouring the organic and locavore delights of the Les Jardins Sauvages restaurant or the exceptional spa treatments with personalized wellness programmes. Last but not least, works of art are scattered around the estate, again in homage to nature.

Double room from 287 euros
Cournon 56200 La Glacilly. Tel: 02 99 08 50 50
www.lagreedeslandes.com

In Hauts-de-France, Le Bruit de l'Eau

In the heart of the Bay of the Somme, one of France's wildest and most unspoilt areas, this estate brings together seven ecolodges designed with a bioclimatic approach and decorated in a purely Japanese style.Japanese purity - rice paper partitions, light wood and bamboo furniture - all open to nature through immense bay windows. Visitors to Le Bruit de l'Eau can enjoy birdwatching in the woods and ponds, take a walk or go horseback riding in the forest and admire the stars, before savoring the delights of a Nordic bath or a massage by the MAA essentielles botanical skincare brand. At the heart of the Objectif zéro carbone collective is an exceptional place - a precious refuge for both body and spirit.

Double room from 295 euros
1 chemin des Matelots 80120 Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont. Tel: 07 69 66 65 94
www.lebruitdeleau.org

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Château de l'Epinay in the Loire Valley

Close to Angers, the Château de l'Epinay with its gargoyle-adorned facade is first and foremost a piece of history. Built in the XIIᵉ century, enlarged in the XVᵉ and transformed into a hotel in 2004, today it unfolds around 24 rooms and suites decorated with Louis XVI furniture, grand fireplaces and crystal chandeliers. Far from allowing itself to be trapped in the past, the place has, on the contrary, committed itself to a very contemporary ecological approach with a natural swimming pool, a permaculture vegetable garden that supplies the kitchens of the excellent table l'Orangerie or sustainable water management. A magical address that artfully blends luxury and ecology.

Double room from 213 euros
Lieu-dit de l'Epinay 49170 Saint-Georges sur Loire. Tel: 02 41 39 87 05
www.chateauepinay.com

Belle-Île-en-Mer, Castel Clara

Unquestionably one of Brittany's finest hotels, with its two white buildings overlooking the lagoon-blue waters of Anse de Goulphar, in the heart of Belle Ile en Mer. At Castel Clara, we love it all... the 63 rooms and suites with their maritime decor, natural materials and blond wood furniture; the simple, tasty cuisine of Café Clara and the more sophisticated, gourmetor the wellness area with its seawater pool featuring underwater jets, balneotherapy area and marine cure programs... What's more, the entire hotel has been designed with eco-responsibility in mind (solar water heater, photovoltaic panels, planet-friendly cleaning products), which in 2010 enabled Castel Clara to become France's first eco-labeled thalasso establishment.

Double room from 161 euros
Port Goulphar 56360 Bangor. Tel: 02 97 31 84 21
www.castel-clara.com

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In Bonifacio, U Capu Biancu

One of Corsica's best-kept secrets, and all the better for it. In the heart of the Sant'Amanza golf course nature reserve, the four-star Hôtel U Capu Biancu houses 39 rooms and suites. Decorated according to owner Sylvie Limongi's inspiration - stone walls, exposed beams, furniture sourced from local flea markets, driftwood mezzanine - all open onto the sumptuous terrace. all open onto a sumptuous swimming pool, palm-fringed gardens and the terrace of the main restaurant, where you can enjoy freshly caught fish, refreshed by a glass of wine from the estate's vineyards. A magical address, acclaimed by nature lovers who also applaud the ecological approach of the place, a member of the Rispettu network, which brings together Corsican hotels and residences committed to sustainable and responsible tourism.

Room from 523 euros
Lieu dit ricetti Domaine de Pozzoniello 20169 Bonifacio. Tel: 04 95 73 05 58
www.ucapubiancu.com

Afurther escape, also in Paris... Hidden Hôtel

A stone's throw from the Champs-Élysées, but far from the hustle and bustle of the capital, this is the kind of hotel we love, discreet and refined, with 35 rooms decorated in soft tones, pure lines and 100% eco-friendly bedding in natural latex and coconut fibers. On the first floor of the Hidden Hotel, the lounge is a living space in its own right, welcoming guests from the (tasty) breakfast to evening cocktails accompanied by tapas and homemade dishes. All these initiatives reflect the global approach of this Green Globe-certified establishment, the world's first environmental certification program designed for the travel and tourism industry.